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Swimming against Scientology’s rip current: Lessons learned the hard way

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Val Ross has enlightened us with tales of her career as a Scientology spy and victim of domestic violence. We’re so glad she has another memory to share with us about her days in this controlling, absurd organization. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Swimming against Scientology’s rip current: Lessons learned the hard way

Scientology’s beach party goes into a third day in Clearwater

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: The Scientology party at Sand Key Park in Clearwater that started on Saturday continued into its third day yesterday, and we’ve been checking with experts about what it could be all about. ALSO: Doctors helping Scientology named and shamed in Canada. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology’s beach party goes into a third day in Clearwater

Scientology’s greatest ever justification for its expensive TV channel is here

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: If you’ve ever tried to view Scientology TV, you know it’s unwatchable propaganda. But David Miscavige has to prove it’s been worth the millions to produce all that wretched content. So now, the best story of ‘how Scientology TV actually recruited a sucker’ is here! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology’s greatest ever justification for its expensive TV channel is here

Ready for OT superpowers, pilgrim? Scientology is waiting for you to come aboard!

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: A reader has sent us a complete new marketing pitch designed to get Scientology members out to the ship Freewinds so they can gain superhuman OT abilities in an adventurous setting. Avast there, pilgrim! Does this new flier get you excited to haul your thetan down to the dock? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Ready for OT superpowers, pilgrim? Scientology is waiting for you to come aboard!

Some recent cases remind us that Scientology tactics are all around us

[It’s a world of grift and we just live in it]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Readers often send us stories that only tangentially relate to Scientology or evoke Scientology’s well-known tactics. We wonder: Is it that Scientology’s thuggish ways are really spreading, or was Scientology always reflecting the grifting habits of the cruel reality we live in? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Some recent cases remind us that Scientology tactics are all around us

Scientology finally finds the right formula in stunning new video

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Sure, Scientology has struggled to recruit staff with so much bad press and all. But leader David Miscavige’s building projects need funding, and staffs need filling out! The enthusiastic team at Orlando has put out the most inspirational hype video we’ve seen in a long time. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology finally finds the right formula in stunning new video

When Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard offered Polaroid his genius

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology’s encyclopedia about its founder includes a volume about what a master photographer L. Ron Hubbard was. And it reprints a 1964 letter Hubbard wrote to Edwin Land to inform him about a flaw he perceived in the Polaroid Automatic 100 Land Camera. It’s comedy gold. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading When Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard offered Polaroid his genius

Rebecca Minkoff says ‘No comment’ to Scientology questions in RHONY trailer

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Bravo viewers got a look at the upcoming ‘Real Housewives of New York City’ season with a new trailer, and it confirms that handbag designer Rebecca Minkoff will be a ‘friend’ to the cast. Also, it suggests that her status as a $5 million donor to #Scientology will be overlooked. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Rebecca Minkoff says ‘No comment’ to Scientology questions in RHONY trailer

Scientology operatives and attorneys trying to end a medical industry

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Although our @thedailybeast piece about Scientology’s litigation war on the psychiatric profession was lengthy, there was even more we couldn’t fit in. And we figured Bunker readers would be interested, because it involves the church’s notorious in-house lawyer, Kendrick Moxon. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology operatives and attorneys trying to end a medical industry

LA Mayor Karen Bass boosts Mr. Scientology, Tom Cruise, on world’s biggest stage

[The chummy scene in Paris, with Simone Biles holding the Olympic flag]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: When we heard that Tom Cruise would be rappelling into the Stade de France to take the Olympic flag, we raised a question: Would LA Mayor Karen Bass once again be involved in a big promotion for Scientology? Last night we got our answer. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading LA Mayor Karen Bass boosts Mr. Scientology, Tom Cruise, on world’s biggest stage